


Don't Go Back

by Elzzorr



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: American!Nicole, Angst, F/F, Military AU, One Shot, Oneshot, Please be gentle, Sorry Not Sorry, lots of feels my bad, marine AU, trigger warning?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-10 19:46:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12918975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elzzorr/pseuds/Elzzorr
Summary: “I told you Waves, I'm right here. I'll be here until you want me gone. Even then it'll be a challenge for you to get rid of me. As long as you want me, I will be by your side.”“P-please. Don't go back. Promise me.”“Shh, it's okay Waves, I won't go back. I promise.”They reluctantly pulled apart from the embrace, but stayed joined by their interlocking fingers.OrNicole returns home from a deployment and Waverly most definitely doesn't want her to go back.





	Don't Go Back

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I had this idea for a oneshot a while ago and I cried... then I cried trying to write it. I don't know if my writing is actually making sense to anyone but me but please let me know what you think!
> 
> Thanks for reading :)

Waverly anxiously paced the living room of the small house she shared with her lover. The imaginary line she walked ran from the edge of the couch to the front of the door. It was getting late, the sun already below the horizon. 

 

_ She should be home soon. She said she would be home soon. 7 months in Afghanistan and back home she said. 7. It’s been 9. She should be home soon. _

 

Her pacing did not cease as the moments went by, her hands fiddling with the diamond engagement ring on her left hand.

 

*

 

**_Many months ago_ **

 

_ “I'm sorry, Waves, I have to go. They need me. It's my patriotic duty to go and help and helping is what I do. I may not be active duty anymore, but once a Spec Ops soldier, always a Spec Ops soldier. I joined the Marines to make a difference and this is my chance. They need my experience. The  _ US _ Department of Defense sent me a letter to my address in  _ Canada,  _ which means this must be important. I promise I'll be back soon. Most deployments only last 7 months. I'll be back before you know I'm gone. I promise I will come home to you. I love you so much, Waverly Earp, more than I have loved anyone else. I will see you soon, love.” _

 

_ Waverly pulled the phone away from her ear. The voicemail Nicole had left burned a hole through her heart. Waverly hadn't wanted her to go. Saying goodbye that day had been one of the most difficult things she had ever had to do in her life. Their last kiss, no. Their goodbye kiss had been filled with promises, apologies, and undying love. Now, listening to her girlfriend’s voice, Waverly felt slightly guilty for being so selfish. But she couldn't help but long for Nicole to be back with her, safe and sound in their home. Glancing at the calendar, Waverly muttered, “6 more months to go”. _

 

*

 

The distinct sound of a key sliding into the lock of the front door pulled the worried brunette out of her thoughts. 

 

She stopped pacing.

 

As the door swung open, she almost stopped breathing.

 

The tall redhead dropped her bags on the floor with a mighty thump before picking up the smaller girl in a bone-crushing hug. Still in her uniform, the returning Marine buried her face in soft brown locks, muffling tears of joy from both women.

 

“Hey Waves.” She grinned at the shorter girl. “Did ya miss me?”

 

“Baby, of course I missed you! It’s been nine months since I last got to see your face.” 

 

The American brought their faces together for a sweet kiss, filled with a lifetime of passion.

 

“Why were you gone so long?” Waverly asked, voice barely above a whisper. 

 

“There was a mixup with a terrorist attack on our camp. My squad got separated from the others and it took base a while to find us. The entire time, I just thought about coming home to you like I promised.”

 

“Please don't go back there, Nicole. Please don't go again,” Waverly begged.

 

“I'm not going anywhere, Waves. I'm right here.” Nicole held her tightly, reminding Waverly of her presence.

 

Waverly couldn't help but release the emotions she had held in. She broke down sobbing, “Please don't go back, Nic, please don't go back.”

 

“I told you Waves, I'm right here. I'll be here until you want me gone. Even then it'll be a challenge for you to get rid of me. As long as you want me, I will be by your side.”

 

“P-please. Don't go back. Promise me.”

 

“Shh, it's okay Waves, I won't go back. I promise.”

 

They reluctantly pulled apart from the embrace, but stayed joined by their interlocking fingers. 

 

“I found the ring…” Waverly said, voice still shaky.

 

“Ah, I wish I could've given it to you myself but as long as you have it.” They stared at the small jewel on Waverly’s finger.

 

“I haven't stopped thinking about you since you left.” Waverly stared at the floor, tears welling up in her eyes.

 

“Neither have I, baby, trust me.” Nicole searched to meet the young professor and BBD research consultant’s gaze.

 

Waverly’s voice cracked as she asked the million dollar question. “Nicole…” She struggled to for the words. “Why did you leave? Why did you leave us? Wynonna, Dolls, Doc, Jeremy, Nedley, hell, even Calamity Jane?! W-why did you leave?!” The tears flowed harder and her body trembled. “W-why did you leave  _ me _ ?”

 

“Because I had to. Because I love you. Because I was needed. And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, baby. And I know you need me, and I'm here baby. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going anywhere ever again.”

 

Waverly felt the strong arms she missed so dearly fade away as she cried, “Why did you break your promise?”

 

Waverly collapsed to the floor of her bedroom, body wracked with sobs, tears flowing freely and staining then light fabric of the “Purgatory Sheriff’s Department” shirt she had stolen from the neatly folded piles of Nicole's tshirts. 

 

“W-why'd you leave me, Nicole?!” she wailed.

 

Scattered around her on the floor rested various belongings of the redhead’s, the remainder in a box neatly labeled “Colonel Nicole M. Haught”. A lone dog tag on a silver chain, multiple laminated photos of her friends, no,  _ family,  _ a small Swiss Army knife, a couple tshirts, a few laminated post-it notes Waverly recalls writing to put in Nicole's lunches whenever she did end up making her lunch, and finally, a small velvet box, the ring now resting on Waverly’s finger. Waverly had found the ring after finally summing up enough courage to go through the cardboard box. It had sat untouched for a month after it was delivered, a young man donning Marine camouflage leaving it with words of condolences and a letter. A letter from the Department of the Navy that now lay crumpled and tear stained in Waverly's desk drawer. 

 

Waverly continued to cry until she couldn't anymore, clutching the ring to her chest and inhaling the sweet vanilla-dipped donut scent of the soldier.

 

A few minutes later, she was being dragged to the Homestead by Wynonna.

 

Gus sat in the car and spoke to Doc and Dolls as Waverly hugged Wynonna tightly.

 

“Poor girl. It's been two years and she's still a mess. God helped is get this far without that kid. Bless her soul, Haught. Such a shame… at least she’s with my Curtis.” The two men solemnly nodded their heads I agreement.

 

Waverly climbed into the backseat of the truck, looking out the window with tear-stained eyes. As Wynonna pulled out, she was saying something but Waverly payed no attention as she stared at the empty house shrink and disappear in the distance. 

 

She could’ve sworn she saw Nicole, bright red hair and fresh-pressed Marine uniform and all, waving from the porch. 

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to shout or insult me or just wanna chat,  
> Hit me up on Tumblr: elzzorr
> 
> Let me know if you guys liked it! (Or if you've got any requests/ ideas for other fics :))
> 
> Thanks for reading!!


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